Predictors of suboptimal breastfeeding: an opportunity for public health interventions.

BACKGROUND: Sub-optimum breastfeeding significantly contributes to the global burden of disease. Our aim was to identify risk factors associated with suboptimal breastfeeding in Southern Croatia. METHODS: Between February 2008 and August 2009, 773 mother-infant pairs were recruited from University Hospital of Split Maternity Unit. Mothers were interviewed at birth, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. RESULTS: Ninety-nine percent of mothers initiated breastfeeding but only 2.2% of them exclusively breastfed whilst in hospital. At 24 months, 4.1% of mothers were breastfeeding. Exclusive and any breastfeeding at 3 months was negatively associated with maternal education of 12 years or less, smoking during pregnancy, intention to use a pacifier and in-hospital formula supplementation. In addition, exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months was negatively associated with primiparity, antenatal course non-attendance and not receiving assistance with breastfeeding from hospital staff. Antenatal course non-attendance and discussing infant feeding with a health professional during pregnancy lowered the odds for any breastfeeding at 6 months. At 12 and 24 months, a lower level of education, antenatal course non-attendance and not receiving advice in hospital on feeding frequency was significantly associated with lower odds of breastfeeding. Additionally, intention to use a pacifier was found to be a negative predictor of breastfeeding at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Important modifiable risk factors found to be significantly associated with suboptimal breastfeeding include smoking during pregnancy, intention to use a pacifier, in-hospital formula supplementation, not receiving advice from hospital staff on normal feeding patterns, not receiving assistance with breastfeeding in hospital and antenatal course non-attendance.

Hospital practices and breastfeeding rates before and after the UNICEF/WHO 20-hour course for maternity staff.

BACKGROUND: The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is the most widely promoted program for increasing breastfeeding rates. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of BFHI training on hospital practices and breastfeeding rates during the first 12 months of life. METHODS: Eighty percent of maternity medical and nursing staff at the University Hospital in Split, Croatia, completed the updated and expanded United Nations Children's Fund/World Health Organization 20-hour course. Seven hundred seventy-three mothers (388 in the pre- and 385 in the post-training group) were included in a birth cohort and interviewed at discharge and at 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum to evaluate hospital practices and infant feeding. Six out of 10 Baby-Friendly practices were assessed using standard BFHI forms. RESULTS: Three months after training was completed, 3 of the Baby-Friendly practices assessed (Step 4, "Initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth"; Step 7, "Rooming-in"; and Step 8, "Feeding on demand") had significantly improved. The proportion of newborns exclusively breastfed during the first 48 hours increased from 6.0% to 11.7% (P < .005). There was no difference in breastfeeding rates at discharge or at 3, 6, or 12 months between the pre- and post-training groups. CONCLUSION: Training of health professionals, based on the BFHI, was associated with significant improvement in some Baby-Friendly hospital practices and initial exclusive breastfeeding rates. A high rate of in-hospital supplementation may partly explain the lack of improvement in breastfeeding exclusivity and duration after discharge. Strong institutional support and commitment is needed to enable full implementation of recommended Baby-Friendly practices.

[Mediterranean spotted fever in north Dalmatia: is there a problem?]. / Mediteranska pjegava groznica u sjevernoj dalmaciji: postoji li problem?

We analyzed clinical and therapeutic characteristics of Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) in north Dalmatia. Analysis was conducted in 93 patients hospitalized with MSF at Zadar General Hospital during the 1988-2000 period. The most frequently found signs of the disease were high fever (91; 97.8%), maculopapular rash (89; 95.7%), headaches (84; 90.3%), arthralgia (75; 80.6%), exhaustion (75; 80.6%) and nausea (65; 69.9%). Tache noire, as a pathognomonic sign of MSF, was found in 22 (23.7%) patients. The most frequently indicated diagnoses were febris cum exanthemate (43; 46.2), rickettsiosis suspecta (21; 22.6%) and exanthema maculopapulosum (15; 16.1%). Early therapeutic efficiency was achieved by doxycycline in 34/43 (79.1%), and by ciprofloxacin in 10/14 (71.4%) treated adult patients, and by azithromycin in 7/9 (77.8%) children. The identification of MSF endemic rickettsiosis in north Dalmatia, serious clinical forms of the disease and the success of early and adequate anti-rickettsial antibiotic therapy are a clear warning that our physicians must be very familiar with this disease and include this rickettsial disease in differential diagnosis of acute febrile diseases accompanied by rash.